1970 was an intense and highly satisfying year for Black Sabbath. February of that year saw the release of their eponymous titled first album and, by the end of that year, they issued their second album, the legendary Paranoid.

The album contains some of the bands most enduring material. "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "Fairies wear Boots" and of course the title track [that was a top ten single at the time.] On the cover, a futuristic looking soldier waving what looks like a lightsaber! What can I say, they though it looked good!
The album was initially to be called "War Pigs" but it was changed to "Paranoid" as their US label thought "War Pigs" was distasteful to an America at war with Vietnam! Lyrically, the album does contains absolutely no satanic references, but despite this, the band attracted a following with an unhealthy obsession with the Occult. Some of the most famous guitar riffs in history are on this album. "Paranoid" and "Iron Man" have been heard anywhere and everywhere.
The songs "War Pigs" and "Electric Funeral" talk clearly about the war in Vietnam. All members of the band had a hippy-like pacifist attitude! "Planet Caravan" is one of my favourite songs ever written. It is a slow, bluesy, moody song that can make you relax in seconds. "Hand of Doom" talks clearly about hard drug abuse. But not in a good way. The lyrics put the listener of drugs saying things like…
"You know you must be blind to do something like this. To take the sleep that you don't know your giving death a kiss. Oh, little fool now!"
After one particular show, the band got into a fight with some skinheads. This is where "fairies wear boots" comes from! One of my favourite tracks on the record.

The album "Paranoid" saw Black Sabbath moving away from their original bluesy sound that permeated the first album. A lot heavier. A lot louder than before, Black Sabbath come to find themselves as a heavy metal band. They are the pioneers in the journey of metal. They invented metal! "Paranoid" is definitely an album that shouldn't be missing from any metalheads collection!

One of the first metal albums and still one of the best ever. You have to give Black Sabbath credit, they knew how to write a heavy song. This album deserves to get a 10 out of 10. All of the songs are classics and still are relevent today.

amazing album!songs as "War Pigs" and "Iron Man" will never die!:kopkop:

JEWcifer - 13.10.2008 at 20:09

Black Sabbath is the greatest metal band of all-time. This album is truly an epic masterpiece with songs like "War Pigs," "Paranoid," and the greatest metla song, "Iron Man." If you don't own this album, then get it. It changed my life, and it will change yours.

I can't believe it ... two people in this website gave it the rating of 1 This is blasphemy!!
I know that not everyone should giver it 10... but 1
Some people just like to do the opposite of what other people do even when it's right

I saw the album "Black Sabbath" was voted 2nd best album of the year 1970 and I thought "what the hell, which album is first??" then I saw it's actually this one..

This is definitely a more focused record and has some of the absolute best Sabbath songs ever written, but I'm having a small issue calling this their best... it's so hard to decide with Sabbath what's the best album, so many of their albums are fantastic

This is truly a classic masterpiece BUUUUTTT It has been so overplayed that I cringe when I hear "I am Iron man" or the sirens from "War Pigs" . Just like hearing "Back in Black" or Lica's(metal left in 89) Black Album they all got so overplayed it damn near ruined the importance of the album. Thank goodness Planet Caravan,Electric Funeral and Hand of Doom didn't get to that point. That being said,"Paranoid" cemented Sabbath as the grandfather's of metal.